Top new historical-fiction books in February 2023
Last updated:
February 28, 2023
February 2023 featuring new releases by Pam Jenoff, Amish Tripathi, Mansi Shah, Sadeqa Johnson, Weina Dai Randel, Mandy Robotham, Jill Santopolo, Tiffany McDaniel, Paulette Kennedy, Jen Beagin and many more.
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Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff
A woman must rescue her cousin's family from a train bound for Auschwitz in this riveting tale of bravery and resistance, from the bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom...20th-century · adult · audiobook · book · espionage · family · female-mc · fiction · friendship · historical -
![War Of Lanka by Amish Tripathi]()
War Of Lanka by Amish Tripathi
LANKA WILL BURN. DARKNESS WILL PERISH.BUT CAN LIGHT ENDURE?INDIA, 3400 BCE.Greed. Rage. Grief. Love. Smouldering tinder, waiting to trigger a war.But this war is different. This one is for Dharma. This war is for the greatest Goddess of them all.Sita has been kidnapped. Defiantly, she dares Raavan to kill her - she'd rather die than allow Ram to surrender.Ram is beside himself with grief and rage...adult · book · drama · family · fiction · historical-fiction · human-nature · male-author · myths · philosophy -
![The Direction of the Wind by Mansi Shah]()
The Direction of the Wind by Mansi Shah
A heartfelt story that spans continents and generations, about a young woman who searches for answers about a mother she barely remembers.Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die...adult · asia · audiobook · book · coming-of-age · contemporary · dark · family · female-mc · fiction -
![The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson]()
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
From the award-winning author of Yellow Wife, a daring and redemptive novel set in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, DC, that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal... -
![Night Angels by Weina Dai Randel]()
Night Angels by Weina Dai Randel
From the author of The Last Rose of Shanghai comes a profoundly moving novel based on the true story of a diplomat and his wife who risked their lives to help Viennese Jews escape the Nazis.1938. Dr. Ho Fengshan, consul general of China, is posted in Vienna with his American wife, Grace...europe · western-central-europe · austria · urban · china · historical-fiction · fiction · ww2 · historical · war -
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![The War Pianist by Mandy Robotham]()
The War Pianist by Mandy Robotham
Pianist: NOUN. Informal. A person who operates or controls a radio transmitter – often in code.July, 1940Blitz-ridden London: Marnie Fern’s life is torn apart when her grandfather is killed in an air raid...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · ww2 · war · audiobook · season-winter · family · spirituality · romance -
![Stars in an Italian Sky by Jill Santopolo]()
Stars in an Italian Sky by Jill Santopolo
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost comes a sweeping story of two star-crossed lovers in post-World War II Italy, and a blossoming relationship generations later that will reveal a long-buried family secret.Genoa, Italy, 1946. Vincenzo and Giovanna fall in love at twenty-one the moment they set eyes on each other...20th-century · adult · audiobook · book · family · female-mc · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · violent-conflict -
![Sul lato selvaggio by Tiffany McDaniel]()
Sul lato selvaggio by Tiffany McDaniel
Six women—mothers, daughters, sisters—gone missing. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims, from the internationally best-selling author of Betty."Capture[s] what goes horribly wrong when women don’t fit a customary victim profile..adult · audiobook · book · coming-of-age · contemporary · crime · dark · family · fiction · historical-fiction -
![The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy]()
The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy
In Depression-era Arkansas, something wicked has come to a haunted mountain town in a novel of uncanny suspense by the author of Parting the Veil.Blood and power bind three generations of women in the Ozark Mountains. So does an evil that’s followed them across the decades.1931. Gracelynn Doherty lives peacefully on Tin Mountain, helping her adoptive granny work her cures...adult · book · demons · female-mc · fiction · ghosts · gothic · historical · historical-fiction · horror -
![Big Swiss by Jen Beagin]()
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
A brilliantly original and funny novel about a sex therapist’s transcriptionist who falls in love with a client while listening to her sessions. When they accidentally meet in real life, an explosive affair ensues.Greta lives with her friend Sabine in an ancient Dutch farmhouse in Hudson, New York. She spends her days transcribing therapy sessions for a sex coach who calls himself Om...21st-century · adult · audiobook · book · contemporary · dark-humor · female-author · female-mc · fiction · friendship -
![The Cliff's Edge by Charles Todd]()
The Cliff's Edge by Charles Todd
In the aftermath of World War I, nurse Bess Crawford is caught in a deadly feud between two families in this thirteenth book in the beloved mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd. Restless and uncertain of her future in the wake of World War I, former battlefield nurse Bess Crawford agrees to travel to Yorkshire to help a friend of her cousin Melinda through surgery...adult · audiobook · book · cozy · crime · female-mc · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · mystery -
![Ripples in Time by Julie McElwain]()
Ripples in Time by Julie McElwain
July 1816 -Kendra Donovan could use a distraction. The FBI agent has been dealing with a serious case of cold feet after impulsively agreeing to marry Alec, the Marquis of Sutcliffe...action-adventure · adult · book · female-mc · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · mystery · paranormal · suspense -
![The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry]()
The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry
From celebrated New York Times bestselling author, Steve Berry, comes the latest Cotton Malone adventure, in which the discovery of a lost historical document challenges the global might of the United States.King Ludwig II of Bavaria was an enigmatic figure who was deposed in 1886, mysteriously drowning three days later...action-adventure · adult · audiobook · book · espionage · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · mystery · political-intrigue -
![The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes]()
The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes
For fans of The Rose Code and The Paris Library, The Librarian of Burned Books is a captivating WWII-era novel about the intertwined fates of three women who believe in the power of books to triumph over the very darkest moments of war. Berlin 1933...20th-century · adult · audiobook · book · female-mc · fiction · friendship · historical · historical-fiction · lgbtq -
![The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell]()
The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a gripping tale of obsession, superstition and ambition, set against the atmospheric backdrop of Victorian London. Be careful what you wish for it may just come true.At The Mercury Theatre in London's West End, rumours are circulating of a curse...gothic · historical-fiction · horror · historical · fiction · mystery · dark · myths · fantasy · industrial-era -
![The Beauty Trials by Dhonielle Clayton]()
The Beauty Trials by Dhonielle Clayton
In this all-new novel from the world of Dhonielle Clayton’s sweeping, lush Belles series, rebellious, outspoken, fan-favorite Edel Beauregard enters the Beauty Trials―a deadly competition to find the next Queen of Orléans.Sophia, the dangerous and erratic former queen, has been imprisoned, restoring peace to Orléans...romance · fantasy · young-adult · dystopia · historical · fiction · lgbtq · high-fantasy · historical-fiction · audiobook -
![The Destroyer of Worlds by Matt Ruff]()
The Destroyer of Worlds by Matt Ruff
Summer, 1957. Atticus Turner and his father, Montrose, travel to North Carolina, where they plan to mark the centennial of their ancestor’s escape from slavery by retracing the route he took into the Great Dismal Swamp. But an encounter with an old nemesis turns their historical reenactment into a real life-and-death pursuit. Back in Chicago, George Berry fights for his own life...adult · black-mc · book · cosmic-horror · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · horror · myths · poc-mc -
![The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan]()
The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan
From the multi-award-winning and internationally bestselling author Donal Ryan, a searing, jubilant story about four generations of women and fierce love The Aylward women of Nenagh, Tipperary, are mad about each other, but you wouldn't always think it...adult · audiobook · book · british-isles · drama · europe · family · female-mc · fiction · friendship -
![The City Between the Bridges: 1794: A Novel by Niklas Natt och Dag]()
The City Between the Bridges: 1794: A Novel by Niklas Natt och Dag
A #1 international bestseller, this atmospheric and breathtaking sequel to the “cerebral, immersive page-turner” (The Washington Post) The Wolf and the Watchman explores the darkness hidden beneath the splendor of 18th-century Stockholm.Stockholm, 1794: A young nobleman, Eric Three Roses, languishes in a hospital as the rest of the city claims that he belongs in a madhouse... -
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![Victory City: A Novel by Salman Rushdie]()
Victory City: A Novel by Salman Rushdie
The epic tale of a woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence, only to be consumed by it over the centuries--from the transcendent imagination of Booker Prize-winning, internationally bestselling author Salman RushdieIn the wake of an insignificant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in fourteenth-century southern India, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will...action-adventure · adult · asian-mc · audiobook · book · epic · female-mc · fiction · historical · historical-fiction -
![The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty]()
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.Amina al-Sirafi should be content...action-adventure · audiobook · book · epic · female-author · fiction · high-fantasy · historical · historical-fiction · nautical -
![Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood]()
Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood
Eighteen-year-old Victoria is a Wildblood. Kidnapped at the age of six and manipulated by the Exotic Lands Touring Company, she’s worked as a tour guide ever since with a team of fellow Wildbloods who take turns using their magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle teeming with ghostly monsters...romance · fantasy · young-adult · fiction · action-adventure · magic · historical-fiction · historical · audiobook · sci-fi -
![Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith]()
Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
Inspired by Moulin Rouge! and set on an island in a magical version of Prohibition-era New York, Revelle is a breathtaking YA stand-alone fantasy full of dazzling magic, romance, and mystery from debut author Lyssa Mia Smith.On the island of Charmant, magic flows like bootlegged champagne, and fantasies can be bought for the price of a gemstone...romance · fantasy · young-adult · historical-fiction · historical · fiction · magic · retellings · urban-fantasy · time-travel -
![Weyward by Emilia Hart]()
Weyward by Emilia Hart
I am a Weyward, and wild inside. 2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret... -
![The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood]()
The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
Danae: Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, the king of Argos, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone in a remote fishing village...adult · ancient-civilization · audiobook · book · female-mc · feminism · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · literary-fiction -
![The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi]()
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
A sumptuous, gothic-infused story about a marriage that is unraveled by dark secrets, a friendship cursed to end in tragedy, and the danger of believing in fairy tales--the breathtaking adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi.Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada...adult · audiobook · book · coming-of-age · contemporary · dark · dark-fantasy · fairy-tale · family · fiction -
![The Counterfeit Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath]()
The Counterfeit Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath
New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath begins a compelling new spin-off series, The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction, centering around three heroes--Knight, Bishop, and Rook--who play to win at any cost.Born into an aristocratic family, yearning for a life beyond Society's strictures, Marguerite "Daisy" Townsend is an enterprising sleuth...adult · audiobook · book · class-difference · espionage · female-mc · fiction · forced-proximity · historical · historical-fiction -
![The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin]()
The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin
When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research--her life's dream...20th-century · adult · audiobook · book · christian · drama · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · spirituality -
![The Battle of Medicine Rocks by Rachel Aaron]()
The Battle of Medicine Rocks by Rachel Aaron
Magic in the Great Sioux War!When Mary Good Crow came out of the crystal into the arms of her sister, the last thing she wanted was another fight. But war is coming to the Great Plains. With crystal on their side, the Lakota are poised to annihilate the town of Medicine Rocks, forcing Mary to choose between the friends she’s found and the family she’s always longed for... -
![Angeline by Anna Quinn]()
Angeline by Anna Quinn
After surviving a tragedy that killed her entire family, sixteen-year-old Meg joins a cloistered convent, believing it is her life's work to pray full time for the suffering of others. Taking the name Sister Angeline, she spends her days and nights in silence, moving from one prayerful hour to the next... -
![The Sweetest Betrayal by Natalie Mae]()
The Sweetest Betrayal by Natalie Mae
In this heart-pounding conclusion to The Kinder Poison trilogy—which People magazine proclaimed a "delicious high-stakes adventure"—war looms over Orkena, but can Zahru save her people without losing herself?War has come to Orkena. Zahru has risen as Mestrah, and she is determined to peacefully end the escalating tensions with Wyrim, her country’s long-time enemy...romance · fantasy · young-adult · fiction · magic · enemies-to-lovers · royalty · historical · audiobook · ancient-civilization -
![A Dangerous Education by Megan Chance]()
A Dangerous Education by Megan Chance
A reformist teacher. A dangerous student clique. A powerful novel about secrets and redemption set in the shadows of McCarthy-era America.Rosemary Chivers is haunted by the choices she made as a teenager—and by those made for her by a controlling mother...20th-century · adult · audiobook · book · cold-war · dark · dark-academia · family · female-mc · fiction -
![My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin]()
My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin
An incisive, deeply resonant debut novel about a nonconsensual sexual encounter that propels one woman’s final semester at an elite New England college into controversy and chaos—and into an ill-advised affair with a married professorIt’s the winter of 1998 and Isabel Rosen has one semester left at Wilder College, a prestigious school in New Hampshire with a wealthy, elite student body and the...abuse · adult · audiobook · book · coming-of-age · contemporary · dark · dark-academia · drama · female-author -
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![Omega Canyon by Dan Simmons]()
Omega Canyon by Dan Simmons
A thrilling tale of a scientist turned Nazi spy informing on America's nuclear war program.The location and mission of Omega Canyon were top secret. During World War II, it served as the most restricted area on the Los Alamos atomic-bomb research and testing grounds.Paul Haber was a physicist banished by the Nazi party during the war...20th-century · adult · book · espionage · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · military · political-intrigue · suspense -
![Marvelous by Molly Greeley]()
Marvelous by Molly Greeley
1547: Pedro Gonzales, a young boy living on the island of Tenerife, understands that he is different from the other children in his village. He is mercilessly ridiculed for the hair covering his body from head to toe. When he is kidnapped off the beach near his home, he finds himself delivered by a slave broker into the dangerous and glamorous world of France’s royal court...adult · audiobook · book · early-modern · fairy-tale · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · retellings · royalty -
![A Match in the Making by Jen Turano]()
A Match in the Making by Jen Turano
Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America's most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker...adult · audiobook · book · christian · female-mc · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · humor · spirituality -
![Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz]()
Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
Hazel Sinnett is alone and half-convinced the events of the year before—the immortality, Beecham’s vial—were a figment of her imagination. She doesn’t even know whether Jack is alive or dead. All she can really do now is treat patients and maintain Hawthornden Castle as it starts to decay around her...alternate-history · audiobook · book · dark-academia · fiction · gothic · historical · historical-fiction · horror · mystery -
![Before the Storm by James D. Shipman]()
Before the Storm by James D. Shipman
Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Kristin Hannah, and Pam Jenoff, this thrilling, high-stakes Cold War novel from a bestselling author follows one couple’s relentless pursuit of an infamous fugitive Nazi scientist across Europe in the aftermath of WWII.Berlin, 1948: World War II may be over, but a new era of conflict has begun...20th-century · action-adventure · adult · book · cold-war · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · mystery · suspense -
![The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson]()
The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson
An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London. London, 1944 : Clara Button is no ordinary librarian...20th-century · adult · audiobook · book · drama · feminism · fiction · friendship · grief · historical -
![The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams by M.J. Rose]()
The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams by M.J. Rose
A captivating tale of two passionate women separated by decades but united by a shared vision. One, the famous jeweler Suzanne Belperron, fighting to protect her company and rescue the man she loves. The other, a young auctioneer whose exceptional gifts reveal a secret that endangers her very life.“Only one thing saves you, and that is not losing sight of beauty.”Paris, 1942...book · crime · drama · fiction · friendship · historical · historical-fiction · magical-realism · mystery · suspense
